TAYLOR, Richard Hamilton
| Service Number: | 3630 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 September 1915, Enlisted in Sydney |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 2nd (Divisional) Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF |
| Born: | Tipperary, Ireland, 4 July 1887 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Conductor in Sydney |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 30 October 1917, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Tempe Tram Depot War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3630, 17th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted in Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 3630, 17th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 3630, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 3630, 2nd (Divisional) Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3630 awm_unit: 2nd Australian Division Trench Mortars awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-10-30 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Richard Hamilton TAYLOR (Service Number 3630) was born on 4th July 1887 at Tipperary, Ireland. From 10th December 1914 he worked as a casual conductor on Sydney Trams. He was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 17th September 1915. He enlisted at Sydney the next day, giving his mother, Ada, living in Ireland as his next of kin. He also suggested that he had relatives in Melbourne.
He was allotted to the 8th Reinforcements 17th Infantry Battalion. He embarked HMAT ‘Aeneas’ at Sydney on 20th December 1915. He was taken on strength of the Battalion at Alexandria on 15th March 1916. He embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France on 17th March and reached Marseilles on 23rd March. In August he was designated a Bombardier in the 2nd Division Artillery Column. In September he was promoted to Corporal and then to Temporary Sergeant in April 1917. On 1st May 1917 he was detached to the 5th Army Trench Mortar School for two weeks, and then another two weeks to the same place in June. His time as Temporary Sergeant ended on 30th June when he reverted to Corporal and. In August 1917 he had leave in England.
Taylor was killed in action on Belgium on 30th October 1917. There are several accounts of his death and they all more or less agree.
H F McInerny (957) reported:
‘Zonnebeke Ridge. He was killed coming out of a pill Box. Piece of shrapnel went into His heart, killing him at once. I knew him very well’ (sic)
He was buried in the Ypres Reservoir North Cemetery.
A pension of 52/3 per fortnight was awarded to Taylor’s mother, Ada, from 13th January 1918. Richard Hamilton Taylor had four sisters: Elizabeth Frances, Amella, Fanny De-beauchamp and Adelaide Quolliam.
In February 1921, Elizabeth was living in the Trained Nurses Home, Darlinghurst. She wrote to the military authorities given updated addresses for the delivery of campaign medals and other mementoes. She wrote:
‘The address my brother, R.H. Taylor No 3630 AIF, gave in 1915 is value less, my mother owing to Sein Fein persecution had to fly from our old home. Her present address is Mrs R.H. Taylor c/o Australian Bank of Commerce, 37 Threadneedle Street, London. Hoping 1915 Star has not been forwarded to our old Tipperary home.’
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.